1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a peripheral equipment management device and method, and more specifically, to a peripheral equipment management device and method which integrally manage peripheral equipment connected to a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, systems in which printers are connected to a network and shared by information processing devices connected to the network have been developed. Printers are normally maintained by service engineers who actually visit their customers. In a system operation, the maintenance and management are troublesome and time-consuming. In view of this, there has been an increasing demand for a system which makes the maintenance and management easier.
A printer manufacturer conducts two types of maintenance: one is regular maintenance, and the other is corrective maintenance.
For the regular maintenance, a service engineer visits end users at uniform intervals (several weeks or several months). The service engineer checks the conditions of printers, replaces worn components with new ones, and cleans the printers. If there is no problem, the service engineer only checks the conditions of the printers.
In a case of the corrective maintenance, the user of the printer reports the occurrence of trouble to the manufacturer, and a service engineer of the manufacturer visits the user. This requires energy and time, and makes it difficult to constantly maintain and manage the conditions of the printer.
Also, a maintenance operation involves checking the condition of a printer, setting the printer, and updating firmware, as well as replacing worn components and cleaning. In a case of a maintenance operation not involving component replacement and cleaning, the maintenance operation is carried out using the operation panel of the printer or a maintenance tool installed in a personal computer. To set the printer, for instance, the service engineer has to stand in front of the printer to carry out the setting with the operation panel, or transmit commands from a personal computer near the printer. To update the firmware, the service engineer has to bring a medium such as a floppy disk, and insert the floppy disk into a floppy disk drive built in the printer so as to load the firmware. These operations might be simple, but if there are many printers to be maintained, the maintenance operation becomes time consuming, and service engineers are more liable to make mistakes.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a process of conventional peripheral equipment maintenance management. In the work operation and maintenance, a routine operation is repeated (steps S1-11 to S1-1n) before a regular maintenance operation is performed (step S1-2). Intervals between the regular maintenance operations in step S1-2 vary depending on the machine type and contract type. The regular maintenance by the manufacturer is conducted at regular intervals. The service engineer checks the conditions of the components of the printer, cleans the printer, and replaces the components with new ones if necessary.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a routine operation of an example of maintenance and management of conventional peripheral equipment. In a routine operation (step S2-1), if trouble is caused in the printer (step 2-2), the end user first handles the trouble (step S2-3). If the end user cannot eliminate the trouble or trouble is repeatedly caused after the repair (step S2-4), the management section is asked to handle the trouble (step S2-5). If the trouble can be eliminated in the management section, the trouble is handled in the management section (steps S2-6 and 2-7). If the trouble cannot be handled in the management section, the manufacturer is asked to handle the trouble, and the trouble is eliminated (steps S2-8 and S2-9).
Normally, a service engineer visits end users after the business hours or late at night, so as not to stop users"" business operations. However, this greatly limits the places and times for maintenance, and stresses service engineers both physically and mentally. Also, the travelling expenses and overtime work pay for service engineers result in an increase of the maintenance costs.
When trouble is caused, users have to eliminate the trouble by themselves. If the trouble cannot be eliminated, the users ask the system management section or the manufacturer to handle the trouble. By the time the manufacturer is asked to handle the trouble, a considerable time has already passed since the occurrence of the trouble, and it is often difficult to inform the manufacturer of accurate information on the trouble. Also, an immediate solution is often required, which makes handling the trouble even more difficult.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a peripheral equipment management device, peripheral equipment connected to the same, and a peripheral equipment management method, in which the above disadvantages are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a peripheral equipment management device which can easily and flexibly manage peripheral equipment, peripheral equipment connected to the peripheral equipment management device, and a peripheral equipment management method.
The above objects are achieved by a peripheral equipment management device which is connected between peripheral equipment and a monitoring device for monitoring the conditions of the peripheral equipment, and manages the conditions of the peripheral equipment. This peripheral equipment management device includes a process execution unit which carries out a desired process for the peripheral equipment, and a transmission unit which transmits the result of the process carried out to the monitoring device.
This peripheral equipment management device also includes an execution process setting unit which designates the process to be carried out for the peripheral equipment. The peripheral equipment management device further includes a time setting unit which sets a time for the process execution unit to carry out the process for the peripheral equipment. The peripheral equipment management device also includes a peripheral equipment selecting unit which selects the peripheral equipment for which the process is carried out by the process execution unit. The peripheral equipment management device further includes a transmission destination selecting unit which selects the monitoring device to which the transmission unit transmits the result of the process carried out by the process execution unit. The peripheral equipment management device also includes a process result storage unit which stores the result of the process carried out by the process execution unit.
According to the present invention, printer devices can be always monitored without a serviceman being there, and signs of trouble can be found before it causes permanent damage. If there is trouble caused in a printer, the information is immediately and accurately obtained so that the trouble can be quickly eliminated. Also, as the travelling expenses and overtime work of service engineers can be reduced, the maintenance costs can also be lowered.